


I Believe in Nothing (But the Beating of Our Hearts)

by manganeko96



Category: Dragon Age (Video Games), Dragon Age II, Dragon Age: Origins
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Grey Wardens, I Wrote This Instead of Sleeping, Multi, Warden Carver Hawke
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-05-10
Updated: 2018-06-01
Packaged: 2019-05-04 18:12:36
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,259
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14598801
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/manganeko96/pseuds/manganeko96
Summary: A small hoard of darkspawn attack Lothering earlier than expected. Duncan stumbles upon a strange sight...The commoner origin you didn't know you wanted.





	1. Darkspawn

**Author's Note:**

  * For [esperjester](https://archiveofourown.org/users/esperjester/gifts).



> I love my bro Carver. He deserves so much better. He becomes warden a bit early in this AU.

Carver Hawke sighed, leaning against the side of Lothering's chantery. “I can't say I'll miss being overlooked anymore,” Carver muttered to himself. Rumors of a Blight were spreading, and he planned to join the militia and serve under King Cailan. In a few days, he would leave Lothering and his family behind and head out to Ostagar with the other men.

The sinking sun threatened nightfall rapidly approaching. Carver stood up, shaking himself out of his musings and started his trek home. As his house started to come into view, a strange sound made him freeze.

“It's probably nothing,” Carver attempted to reassure himself. “I'm just imagining things.”  
Carver drew closer to home, hearing the sound again. It was distant, but louder than before. After debating for a few moments, Carver decided to veer off the familiar path and investigate the source of the noises. Carefully maneuvering through the trees, he peeked into the clearing. He gasped, turning around and sprinting back home. Carver throws the door open, panting slightly from running.

“Darkspawn!” he shouted, frantically searching for a weapon. “Garrett! Take Mother and the others and run! I saw darkspawn in the clearing. We don't have much time!”

“Darkspawn? Here? How did they make it here already?” Garrett demanded.

“I don't know! It looked like a smaller group. Nevermind that! You need to go! Now!”

“No way am I leaving you behind,” Garrett responded, gripping Carver's arm. Bethany, Marian, and their mother finally appeared holding packs.

“I heard your shouting,” Marian explained. “Beth and I had packs ready to go for a while.”

“We need to go now!” Carver yelled, shoving the others to the back door. A splintering crack came from behind him, and he knew the darkspawn have come.

“I'll hold them off! You need to go!”  
Carver charged the heard of darkspawn wielding the only weapon he could find, a pitchfork. He slashed through the few darkspawn that blocked the door and made his way outside. The darkspawn surrounded him. Carver had taken out about half the hoard, when the pitchfork broke.

“You have got to be kidding!” he cried. Carver grit his teeth and landed a few solid hits on the remaining darkspawn, but he knew there were too many. He had all but accepted his fate, knowing he at least would die keeping his family safe, when he spotted a stranger nearby. The man finished the rest of the darkspawn off, leaving the ground around them covered in corpses.

“Thanks for that,” Carver said, bending over to catch his breath. “If you hadn't shown up, I'd be dead for sure.”

“Did you just try to punch darkspawn?” the man asked in response, staring at Carver. The man sounded confused and slightly impressed.

“Well what was I supposed to do? Let the darkspawn kill me?” Carver scoffed, flushing slightly. “What are you doing in Lothering anyway? You’re not wearing the standard issue for Fereldan Army.”

“I suppose I should introduce myself. My name is Duncan, Warden-Commander of the Fereldan Grey Wardens.”

“The Grey Wardens? Why are you here in Lothering?” Carver exclaimed. “Shouldn’t you be leading the effort to stop the Blight?”

“You're not wrong. I was on my way to find some new recruits for the Grey Wardens. After seeing you fight, I think I’ve found one. Your combat skills are impressive.”

“I appreciate the offer, but I have to go find my family. I held off the darkspawn while they fled, and I should probably catch up to them.” Carver responded.

“Listen son, this isn’t an offer you can’t just refuse,” Duncan started to explain.

“My name is Carver Hawke, not ‘son’,” Carver replied, cutting Duncan off. “I think protecting my family is more important. You’re going to have to find someone else.”

“I invoke the Rite of Conscription,” Duncan said calmly. “You are now required to join the Wardens.”

“What? You can’t just do that! I can’t leave them!” Carver protested. “I know I was planning to go to Ostagar, but that was before the darkspawn attacked Lothering!”

“I can do that. It is one of the rights I have as Warden-Commander.”

“Does it also give you the right to be an ass?” Carver growled. At any other time, he would be thrilled at the offer, but between the Wardens and his family, Carver knew he would pick his family every time.

“I really don't want to force you, but I will if needed. However, I feel a compromise would be more beneficial for the both of us,” Duncan said.

“What kind of deal do you have in mind?” Carver asked hesitantly. Though Duncan did save him, Carver didn't want to trust a man that wanted to separate him from his family.

“In exchange for becoming a Warden recruit, I will alert the other Wardens to look out for your family,” Duncan offered.

Carver pondered Duncan's proposal for a minute. If what Duncan said is true, he could end up being forced into the Grey Wardens. As skilled as he is in combat, Carver knew he was no match for a seasoned warrior, especially unarmed. On the other hand, he wanted to push slightly for a better arrangement.

“If you also arrange for safe passage to wherever they plan to go, and whoever you send is willing to look the other way regarding certain issues, we have a deal,” Carver stated firmly, staring Duncan in the eye.

“Look the other… Ah, I see what you mean,” Duncan answered, with a small grin on his face. “In that case we have a deal. You are quite diplomatic. If you were a nobel, you would be fearsome in politics.” He reached out and clasped Carver's hand in his own.

“Maker, why do I get the feeling I've signed my life away?” Carver asked, glancing up at the sky. Duncan chuckled.

“In a sense, you have. Joining the Wardens is a lifelong commitment. There is no backing out aside from extreme circumstances,” Duncan explained.

“Just my luck,” Carver moaned. “Where are we going anyway?”

“As skilled as you are, we need all the recruits we can find. Wardens are needed most during a Blight. I already checked with the dwarves, Denerim, and the Dalish. It was only by chance I stumbled into you on my way to the Circle.”

“The Wardens have mages? I thought any mage outside the Circle was considered an apostate.”

“The Grey Wardens exist outside the laws of Thedas. A sort of diplomatic immunity, if you will.”

“Why do I get the feeling you exploit that quite a bit,” Carver accused.

“Maybe so,” Duncan responded, pausing for a moment. “It all depends on perspective. Enough chatter. I'm planning on getting to the Circle tower in the next few days.”

“A few days? Doesn't that trip take almost a week?”

“All the more reason to hurry.”


	2. Templars Are Still Assholes

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Carver struggles with templars, a child, and a familiar face. Why can't things ever be easy?

Carver continued to follow Duncan until the faint outline of Kinloch Hold became visible through the fog. Carver rubbed his bare arms shivering slightly. The damp air surrounding Lake Calenhad was much colder than the blistering heat common in Lothering. The cool evening breeze only added to the chill Carver felt.

 

“Are we almost there? It’s freezing out here!” Carver groaned, teeth chattering.

 

“Maybe if you covered your arms, you wouldn’t be having this problem,” Duncan replied, chuckling. “Once we get back to camp, I’ll see about getting you appropriate armor.”

 

“Maker, I would kill for a fire and a decent meal right now,” Carver muttered, curling his arms closer to his body. If he was lucky, maybe he could get a blanket or something from the tower.

 

“We’re at the dock leading to the tower. Once we cross the lake, we won’t come back until I finish at the tower,” Duncan explained.

 

“If you think for one minute you can leave me outside in this weather, I will rip your arms off and beat you to death with them, Warden Commander or not,” Carver growled, boarding the boat.

 

“I wouldn’t dream of it!” Duncan assured him, grinning. “You will have to wait by the entrance with the templars, however.”

 

The mention of templars almost made Carver hesitate. He grew up with warnings of templars storming their home in Lothering to take Bethany and Marian away. His father constantly told Garrett and him to be on guard around templars, to protect their sisters. Templars still made Carver wary, unable to shake the habit of watching out for his sisters.

 

“Hopefully I can find another recruit here,” Duncan muttered. The boat had arrived while Carver was reminiscing. The two quickly made their way to the door, eager to enter the tower and escape the chill. 

 

As promised, Carver stayed by the entrance with the templars while Duncan left, speaking with the First Enchanter. Carver shifted his weight, uncomfortable in the presence of his childhood villains. Though he was not a mage, Carver would die before letting anything happen to either of his sisters.

 

“What’s the Warden Commander doing with a kid?” one of the templars asked, shocking Carver stiff. After getting over the initial shock, it took a moment for Carver to process the question.

 

“I’m not a child,” Carver retorted, “I’m the newest Grey Warden recruit.”

 

“Could have fooled me,” the templar replied. “You look two minutes away from turning tail and running away.”

 

Carver seethed, but managed to hold back his remark. The templar was just trying to get a response. He knew plenty of people like that back in Lothering. They weren’t worth his time. Disappointed that Carver wouldn’t be riled up so easily, the templars started another conversation, ignoring Carver.

 

Determined not to look at the templars, Carver noticed the slightest movement from the shadows. Curious to see what it was, he crept around the templars and towards the corner where he saw the movement. A pair of green eyes stared back at him.

 

“What are you doing spying on me?” Carver whispered. The hidden figure gasped softly.

 

“How did you find me?” the person whispered. From the sound of his voice, the spy had to be a child, most likely a mage. Carver dragged the kid closer to the light, allowing Carver to get a glimpse of the spy. The mage was young boy, only about twelve or thirteen years old. He had pale blond hair, pointed ears, and faint facial markings. An elf, possibly Dalish.

 

“You’ll have to try harder than that, kid. My older brother is a rogue. There are only so many times he can hide in the shadows to scare me before I start knowing what to look for,” Carver answered, still staring at the kid. “What are you doing down here anyway?”

 

The kid stared at his feet, silent for a few moments. “I… I was checking on my friend…” Carver could hardly hear the kid, but managed to understand most of what he said.

 

“Where is this 'friend’?” Carver asked, skeptical about the kid’s true intentions.

 

“He… he’s in the dungeon. The templars-”

 

“Hey! What’s a robe doing down here?” one of the templars shouted. “You trying to escape too?”

 

“No!” the kid cried. “I’m just-”

 

“There you are! I have been looking everywhere for you!” An older woman pushed her way past the templars and glared at the boy. “What have I told you about sneaking off?”

 

“But Wynne-”

 

“No buts! Back upstairs, now! We will discuss this in the morning.” The older woman grabbed the kid by the arm and dragged him farther into the tower, presumably upstairs. Carver and the templars stood there watching the door in silence for a few minutes. 

 

“Well, is the circle always like this, or am I just lucky?” Carver asked, breaking the silence. He hoped it would help ease the tension in the room, but the templars were not amused. Carver stood in silence a bit longer before deciding to step outside a moment for some air.

 

“That was awful,” Carver groaned, rubbing his temples. “Why am I the only one who can’t talk to people?” Carver weighed his options. He could stand out in the cold, praying Duncan would finish soon, or he could go back inside and be forced into an even more awkward situation, praying Duncan would finish soon. Carver sighed, turning back to the door. Before he could react, a body slammed into his own, knocking him back a few steps.

 

“Andraste’s ass! Watch where you’re going!” Carver swore. He checked to see if the other person was alright, but they had already run off somewhere. Carver was still trying to process everything when Duncan and several templars stormed outside.

 

“Where did he go?” the closest templar demanded. “Where’s the blood mage?”

 

“I have no idea- What is even going on?” Carver asked, looking to Duncan for answers.

 

“There was an escape attempt. Two mages and a Chantry sister were found in the dungeon. As it turns out, one of them happened to be a blood mage,” Duncan answered.

 

“Did you find your recruit?” Carver asked, changing the topic from blood magic. Apostates are fine, half his family were apostates. However, blood magic… that was the only thing worse than templars.

 

“I'm glad you asked. She was the other mage from the escape attempt. I conscripted her to save her life.” Duncan stepped aside to reveal the newest warden recruit.

 

Carver gaped, fumbling for words for a few moments. This was the last person he expected to see. Carver could just barely choke out a name, still reeling from the reveal.

 

“Bethany?”


End file.
